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Logitech MX Mechanical Keyboard Review: Easy Device Switching, Low Profile

Tom’s Hardware Verdict

The Logitech MX Mechanical and MX Mechanical Mini offer a great typing experience, fantastic software and the ability to switch among three devices. However, if you’re not committed to Logi Flow or the Logitech ecosystem, there are more affordable options with similar functionality.

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Pros

+
Great typing experience
+
Seamless switching between three devices
+
Powerful customization software
+
USB Type-C Charging

Logitech’s MX Master series of wireless mice is renowned for its comfort, customization and ability to switch seamlessly among up to three different devices. If you’re working with more than one computer at a time, the company’s Logi Flow feature is really helpful because you can drag the mouse pointer across from one desktop to another and the wireless connection will switch with you, even taking the clipboard contents along for copy and paste.

Up until now, if you wanted a wireless keyboard that would work with Logi Flow, you were limited to Logitech’s MX Keys series. But no one who is serious about their typing would lay fingers on a non-mechanical keyboard if there was a better option. Now, Logitech has introduced the MX Mechanical and MX Mechanical Mini, two wireless MX keyboards that use Flow and come with a choice of mechanical switches.

The $169 Logitech MX Mechanical is a full-size, 110-key keyboard while the $149 MX Mini offers a more compact layout with just 84 keys. Both keyboards are low-profile and available with a choice of clicky blue, linear red or tactile quiet brown low-profile switches, all of which are made by Kailh. We tested with two units: an MX Mechanical with blue switches and an MX Mechanical Mini with browns. In either form factor, the keyboards offer a typing experience that’s on par with many of the best wireless keyboards, a ton of customization options and easy switching between PCs. However, you have to be comfortable with a low-profile design, which limits your choice of wrist rests.

Specifications for Logitech MX Mechanical / Mini

	MX Mechanical	MX Mechanical Mini
Switches	Kailh Choc V2 Blue, Red or Brown (custom)	Kailh Choc V2 Blue, Red or Brown (custom)
Lighting	White (6 effects)	White (6 effects)
Key Count	110	84
Connectivity	3 Devices (Logi Bolt or Bluetooth LE)	3 Devices (Logi Bolt or Bluetooth LE)
Rated Battery Life	15 days (with backlight), 10 months (without), USB-C Charging	15 days (with backlight), 10 months (without), USB-C Charging
Construction	Aluminum top plate, plastic chassis	Aluminum top plate, plastic chassis
Size	17.1 x 5.2 inches x 0.31 inches (433.9 x 131.7 x 7.8 mm)	12. 3 x 5.2 inches x 0.31 inches (312.6 x 131.7 x 7.8 mm)
Weight	1.8 pounds (828g)	1.3 pounds (612g)
Warranty	U.S.: 1 year, EMEA: 2 years	U.S.: 1 year, EMEA: 2 years

The Logitech MX Mechanical and MX Mechanical Mini share a boring, but professional aesthetic that looks fairly premium and won’t offend or excite anyone. The thin keys are two shades of gray with letters and numbers having the lighter hue and special / modifier keys getting the darker one. The case sides and back are the same dark gray plastic while the area under the keys is a matte aluminum plate.

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Logitech designed the keyboards to fit into even the most design-conservative workplaces and the backlight, which can only show pure white, follows suit. However, you can configure it to use a variety of lighting effects, including static contrast, waves and breathing. No matter which effect you choose, the backlight uses an ambient light sensor to determine when it should turn on so, if you’re in a brightly-lit room, it will save power by staying off.

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If you’re not used to using a low-profile keyboard, the short height of the Logitech MX Mechanical and MX Mechanical Mini will take you by surprise, and not necessarily in a good way. Both devices are just 1.02 inches (26.1 mm) tall with their feet flipped out and about 0.7 inches (17.8mm) when flat. That’s nearly an inch lower than the Akko 3098B on its highest of two feet and 0.5 inches (12.7mm) lower when flat. The keyscaps and switches, which are not hot-swappable, are also low-profile.

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A shorter keyboard means that you can’t use a standard-height wrist or palm rest, because you don’t want a rest that’s too tall and forces you to poke downward at your keys. If you don’t use a wrist rest, this won’t matter to you, but I can’t live without one. When I couldn’t pair my HyperX Wrist Rest with the MX Mechanical, I was very frustrated. Fortunately, there are low-profile wrist rests on the market and Logitech even makes one, which was designed originally for the MX Keys but works fine with the MX Mechanical.

I bought the $20 MX Palm Rest, which is just 0.31 inches (7.8 mm) tall and 16.5 inches (419 mm) wide, which makes it ideal for the MX Mechanical but overlong for the MX Mechanical Mini. It doesn’t have the soft gel or memory foam that I like to see in my rests, but it is fairly soft and has a nice, smooth surface. However, the bottom doesn’t grip the desk well enough and it can slip out of place sometimes.

The fact that they’re so thin makes them easy to put in a bag. The Mini fits perfectly into a bag on the go, though the longer, full-size keyboard sticks out of anything but the largest backpacks.

Putting height aside for a moment, the MX Mechanical is 17.1 x 5.2 inches (433.9 x 131.7 mm) and 1.8 pounds (828 g) which is a bit more compact than Razer’s full-size Black Widow V3 Pro (17.7 x 9.8 inches, 450.7 x 248.4 mm). The Mechanical Mini is 12.3 x 5.2 inches (312.6 x 131.7 mm) and 1.3 pounds (612g) which is much smaller than the iQuinix A80 Explorer (12.6 x 6.3 inches, 3. 5 pounds).

Layout of Logitech MX Mechanical / Mini

The Logitech MX Mechanical has a full, 110-key layout, including a numpad, arrow keys and a block of keys for Ins, Home, Del, End, Pg Up and Pg Dn. Above those keys are three dedicated buttons to switch to each of the three device profiles, no key combo required.

Above the numpad sit four shortcuts for calculator, search, lock and show/hide desktop. Annoyingly, Logitech does not provide a dedicated print screen key, even though most full-size keyboards have one of those and don’t have a calculator button. However, using the Options+ software, I turned the show/hide screen key into a print screen key.

There are no dedicated media keys but, keys on the function row double as brightness, mute, emoticon and media keys. There are, however dedicated volume up and down buttons to the right of F12. You can toggle function key mode on and off by hitting Fn + Esc.

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The MX Mechanical Mini has only 84 keys in a very compact design that has all the hallmarks of a 75 percent layout. There’s no number pad, but there are arrow keys and a right column with Pg Up, Pg Dn, Home, End and Delete keys. As on the MX Mechanical, the function row doubles as a media key row but, instead of adjusting brightness, the first three function keys double as device switching keys that take you to profiles 1, 2 or 3. You also get a play / pause button but no next or previous track buttons.

Since the keyboards are made to work with either macOS or Windows computers, one thing you’ll notice is that the Alt, Ctrl and Windows (Start) keys are all labeled with both Mac and Windows legends. You can switch between Windows and Mac layouts by holding the function key and the letter P for Windows or O for Mac.

Key Switches and Caps on Logitech MX Mechanical / Mini

The Logitech MX Mechanical and MX Mechanical Mini come with your choice of clicky blue, linear red or tactile “quiet” brown switches. All of the switches are low-profile Kailh Choc V2 switches, though Logitech says the brown switches have been specially tweaked to be quieter than the standard ones. Unfortunately, if you don’t like them, you can’t remove them as they are not hot-swappable.

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Kailh Choc V2 switches have 3.2 mm of travel with 1.3 mm of pre-travel before the actuation point. The blue and red switches require 43 grams of actuation force while the official brown switches require 45 grams. However, it’s unclear if making the browns quieter caused Kailh to change these specs. In our experience testing in the office, the brown switches were not appreciably quieter than the blue ones; they just had a lower, less obtrusive pitch.

For reference, full-sized Cherry MX Blue, MX Red and MX Brown switches have 4 mm of travel with 2.2 mm of pre-travel before they actuate. The MX Blues require 50 grams of force to actuate while the Browns and Reds require 45 grams. With less travel and force needed, the keys on the Logitech MX Mechanical / Mini feel much lighter, making them good for fast typing. However, even with the reduced travel of 3. 2 mm, I never felt myself bottoming out.

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The ABS keycaps are pretty flat with a slight indentation that reminded me of the caps on laptops. They easily picked up and showed my finger oils, making the keyboard look a little greasy after I’d only used it for a little more than a week. In theory, you could change out the key caps, but you’d need ones that work with low-profile switches. I tried putting one of my Akko ASA keycaps on one of the switches and it snapped on easily, but it made the key stick a bit when I was pressing it.

Typing Experience on Logitech MX Mechanical / Mini

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I tested the Logitech MX Mechanical with blue clicky switches and the Logitech MX Mechanical Mini with brown tactile switches. I always prefer clicky switches so I used the Mechanical as my daily driver for a week and found that it offers truly fantastic tactility and just the right amount of resistance and travel.

I normally use a full-height keyboard with terminal-style ASA keycaps and Kailh Box White switches so it took me about a day to get used to the low-profile keys and their mostly-flat caps. However, once I adapted, I was as fast as I ever have been and made fewer errors too. On the 10FastFingers typing test, I scored 109 words per minute with just a 4 percent error rate, when I normally am at 100 to 105 wpm with the same or a slightly higher error rate. I think the slightly-reduced travel and actuation force of the low profile keys helped me work faster.

Typing on the MX Mechanical keyboard with blue switches was not just speedy, but also comfy; I didn’t have to push as hard with my fingers and yet I also didn’t bottom out. However, the fact that I couldn’t use my favorite wrist rest, the HyperX Wrist Rest, and had to use the inferior MX Palm Rest took away from my comfort.

My colleague Andrew E. Freedman spent more than a week using the MX Mechanical Mini with brown switches as his daily driver at work on a Mac, and he enjoyed the typing experience. He typically uses tactiles switches, and found them to be comfortable, though louder than the silent switches he uses on his own personal board. I found that the brown switches were not springy enough for my taste (as I find most browns), but I was able to hit 105 wpm and about a 3% error rate on the typing test.

Interestingly, despite Logitech’s claims, the brown switches did not seem significantly quieter than the blue ones in our tests (to several of our ears, anyway).. As we clacked on them at our adjacent desks, both were clearly audible to our nearby coworker, though the clicky blue switches were much higher pitched and more shrill. So, if you’re concerned about keyboard noise, the brown switches give off less offensive noise, but it’s not as if you can’t hear them.

Connectivity and Logi Flow on Logitech MX Mechanical / Mini

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Both the Logitech MX Mechanical and MX Mechanical Mini can connect to up to three different devices via an included Logi Bolt USB dongle or Bluetooth LE. While three profiles is probably enough for most people, competitors offer even more. For example, the Akko 3098B can have up to five different connections, including three Bluetooth profiles, a 2. 4-GHz dongle and wired mode. The MX Mechanical / Mini cannot transfer data over its USB-C connection, so a wired mode isn’t possible. (You can still use it while it’s charging, however, just over the wireless connection.)

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The keyboards come with a single Logi Bolt dongle in the box that’s paired to the keyboard and will work right away without software, though if you want to pair with a Bolt dongle you got elsewhere – perhaps with a MX Master 3S mouse – you’ll need to use the Logi Options+ software to make that happen. I primarily used a Bluetooth connection, and I found it as stable as using the Bolt.

Note that Logi Bolt dongles don’t work with older Logitech devices that require a Unifying Receiver and Unifying Receivers won’t connect with the MX Mechanical. Connecting via regular Bluetooth LE requires no special dongles or software.

Whatever method you use to connect to your devices, you have two ways to switching them: either manually or via Logi Flow. If you wish to switch manually, the MX Mechanical has three dedicated Easy-Switch keys labeled 1, 2 and 3 while the MX Mechanical Mini assigns these to F1, F2 and F3 which you must pair with the Fn key (or convert your function row to a media row). In my testing, switching among a Windows 10 desktop, a Windows 11 laptop and a Raspberry Pi (running Linux) was quick and painless, with a delay of less than a second between the time I hit the Easy-Switch key and when the connection changed.

One of the main selling points (if not the main selling point) of the Logitech MX Mechanical and MX Mechanical Mini are their ability to use Logi Flow in concert with an MX Master mouse. The goal is to turn multiple computers into one giant desktop. With an MX Master 3S and an MX Mechanical connected to both my laptop and desktop, I was able to switch between the two devices simply by dragging my pointer off of the right side of the desktop’s screen and onto the laptop’s display. I also copied and pasted content between the two computers.

To set up Logi Flow, all I had to do was click the Flow tab in Options+ after selecting my mouse (this only works if you are using it with a compatible Logitech mouse) and then drag boxes representing each computer around so that laptop box was to the right of the desktop one. That told the software to switch devices once I moved to the right. I could similarly configure Flow to see my laptop as being located above, below or to the left of my desktop. To make the MX Mechanical work with flow, I just had to turn the Link Keyboard option on.

My desktop has four monitors laid out in a 2×2 configuration. One issue I had with Flow is that, whether I dragged my pointer to the right of the top right monitor or the bottom right monitor, it still moved to the laptop, which was sitting on the bottom right of my desk. So I ended up accidentally moving to my laptop several times, until I enabled another option in Flow, which only changes the device if you’re holding down the CTRL key while you drag your pointer off screen.

A word of caution about Flow: it only runs on devices that have Logi Options+ installed. So, if you are working with a Raspberry Pi, a Chromebook or an Android tablet, you’ll have to switch to those manually.

Software and Customization of Logitech MX Mechanical / Mini

Logitech’s Logi Options+ software, the next-generation of its Logi Options app, is powerful and easy-to-use, but still leaves some room for improvement. When you launch Options+, you’re given a list of your currently-installed Logitech devices and a button to add new ones.

If the MX Mechanical isn’t paired yet, you can click the Add Device button and then choose among wireless connectivity options: Bluetooth or Logi Bolt (if the dongle is plugged in). If you choose Bluetooth, you’ll be kicked to Windows’ Bluetooth menu but, if you click Bolt, the pairing process will take place in the app.The first time you connect the MX Mechanical / Mini, Options+ will give you a tour of the device, showing you what you can configure on it.

The Logitech MX Mechanical / Mini has four tabs in Options+: Keys, Backlighting, Easy Switch and Settings. Keys, the most important of these, shows you a complete map of your keyboard with reprogrammable keys highlighted by a white box.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

To change a key’s mapping, all you need to do is click on it and then choose from one of about four dozen options, including Search, Lock, adjust brightness and zoom in / out. You can also assign a keyboard shortcut to a key or have it open a particular file or folder. One of the built-in options is screen capture (aka print screen), so I reassigned the Show / Hide desktop key to use that functionality.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Unfortunately, Options+ doesn’t let you remap any key you want. It only works with the function keys, the Insert / Del / Home / End / Pg Up / Pg Dn block and the four keys above the numpad (on the MX Mechanical only). That’s a missed opportunity, because some folks would like to remap their numpad or their arrow keys or maybe even characters they don’t use much. It’s your keyboard, so why shouldn’t you be able to remap the A key if you want to? You can use a third-party solution such as SharpKeys if you want to, but Options+ should let you do this.

The Backlighting tab allows you to choose the backlight pattern from among six options. These are Static, Contrast, Breathing, Waves, Reaction and Random. You can also disable the backlight entirely from here. However, you can also switch among these options by hitting the Fn + volume down key.

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The Easy-Switch tab does nothing more than show a list of which three devices your keyboard is paired with. You can’t delete or add pairings from here. But must use standard Bluetooth or Logi Bolt pairing to make a change.

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Finally, the Settings tab contains a few additional options, including enabling battery saving mode when the battery drops below 10 percent, forcing the keyboard to stay in a Windows layout, toggling the backlight or changing the function keys back into media keys and vice versa. The latter two options can be performed by keyboard shortcuts, so they aren’t strictly necessary here. You can also check for firmware updates and back up your settings.

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Battery Life of Logitech MX Mechanical / Mini

Logitech claims that both the MX Mechanical and MX Mechanical Mini get 15 days of battery life if the backlight is on and up to 10 months of endurance with it off. I didn’t have time to test these claims scientifically, but after a week of use with the backlight mostly off, the MX Mechanical still had 95 percent of its battery left, according to Logi Options+.

Both keyboards charge via USB-C and come with a USB-C to Type-A cable in the box. Though the keyboard can’t act as a wired device, it can charge while connected wirelessly. So if you’re running low on juice, you can plug it into your computer’s USB port while you work.

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There’s a lot to like about the Logitech MX Mechanical and MX Mechanical Mini keyboards. Both offer an excellent typing experience, powerful customization via software, long battery life and easy switching among devices. However, at $169 for the MX Mechanical and $149 for the MX Mechanical Mini, these peripherals are more expensive than less well-known competitors with more features and better aesthetics.

The Akko 3098B, for example, goes for just $98 and works with up to five devices, has hot-swappable switches and comes with stylish but still conservative ASA-style key caps. However, Akko’s keyboard doesn’t come with very good switches by default — if you want to bring your own, you’d have to budget another $50 or so to buy them, at which point you’re closer to the cost of the MX Mechanical anyway.

To really make the most of the Logitech MX Mechanical / Mini, you need to be using an MX series mouse such as the MX Master 3S, which will allow you to switch devices via Logi Flow. And you need to be OK with, if not excited about, working with low-profile keys and a low-profile wrist rest. However, if you can afford the premium, Logitech’s keyboards will make you more comfortable and productive.

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Avram Piltch is Tom’s Hardware’s editor-in-chief. When he’s not playing with the latest gadgets at work or putting on VR helmets at trade shows, you’ll find him rooting his phone, taking apart his PC or coding plugins. With his technical knowledge and passion for testing, Avram developed many real-world benchmarks, including our laptop battery test.

Akko 3098B / N Wireless Keyboard Review: World-Class Typing and Build Quality

Tom’s Hardware Verdict

An impressive productivity keyboard with gaming prowess, the Akko 3098B / N combines a first-class typing experience with classic good looks, a compact 96-percent layout and plenty of wireless functionality.

Pros

+
+ Classy Design
+
+ Fantastic ASA Keycaps
+
+ Hot-Swappable Switches
+
+ 2.4-GHz, Bluetooth and Wired Connectivity
+
+ Long battery life
+
+ Multi-level flip-out feet

Cons

—
Default switches lack clicky option
—
Software issues
—
RGB Could Be More Customizable
—
No switch puller included despite hot swappable switches

Your keyboard is the part of your workstation that you interact with the most, so getting a better one can change how you experience your computer. Akko’s 3098B and 3098N are just the kind of devices that can take your productivity and gaming response to another level of comfort and efficiency. Starting at $109, these keyboards — identical but for the model of controller chip inside of them — offer a smorgasbord of key features including: terminal-style SA keycaps, hot-swappable switches, colorful RGB backlighting and the ability to connect via Bluetooth, 2.4-GHz or USB-C.

Perhaps more importantly, the compact 96-percent design and deep curve of the keycaps make for a first-class typing experience. However, if you don’t like linear switches, you may want to swap in some of your own.

Akko 3098B / N Specs

Switches	Akko CS Jelly White, CS Jelly Pink, CS Jelly Blue (3098B) or Akko TTC Silent Red V3 Switches or TTC Princess switches (3098N)
Lighting	Per-key RGB
Media Keys	No
Connectivity	2.4 GHz USB Type-A dongle, Bluetooth 5. 0 (up to 4 profiles), wired
Cable	USB Type-A to USB Type-C, braided, detachable
Additional Ports	None
Key Caps	PBT SA Keycaps
Construction	Aluminum top plate, plastic base
Software	Akko Cloud Driver
Dimensions (LxWxH)	17.7 x 9.8 x 1.7 inches (450.7 x 248.4 x 42.3mm)
Weight	2.4 pounds (1.1 kg)

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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

The Akko 3098 series is an incredibly handsome device that, in the Black and Gold color scheme we tested, is professional enough for the most conservative office environment while offering the kind of retro design flourishes that a serious mechanical keyboard fan will fall in love with. Sitting at my four-monitor workstation with this terminal-like keyboard made me feel like Hugh Jackman’s master hacker character in Swordfish.

The matte black plastic chassis has an extremely premium feel and, at 2.4 pounds (1.1kg), has enough heft to make it feel as sturdy as a tank. There was not a hint of flex or creaking on this chassis, even when we tried to squeeze it. Noise dampening foam prevents any kind of rattle.

The 96-percent layout strikes a perfect balance between saving desk space and having just about every key you could want. At 15 x 5.3 inches (382 x 134mm), the Akko 3098 is significantly narrower than the Hexgears Impulse (17.3 x 6 inches), which is one of the most compact full-size keyboards on the market and looks even slimmer in comparison to the top-rated Patriot Viper V765 (18.4 x 6.4 inches). The Corsair K70 RGB TKL, our favorite tenkeyless keyboard, is only 0.8 inches narrower than the 3098.

The keyboard gives you not one, but two different sets of flip-out feet so you can adjust the height to your liking. With all feet retracted, the rear of the Akko 3098 is raised about 30mm off your desk. That height goes up another 10mm with the shorter feet active and yet another 10mm (a total of about 50mm) with the longest feet extended. I found the height and angle with the smaller feet ideal.

In addition to the feet, the bottom has a recessed space for the USB-C port, which works with both the included wire or any other USB-C cable you have lying around. There’s also a toggle switch which allows you to choose between USB mode, wireless Windows mode and Mac mode (for Mac layouts). The only real design flaw here is that there’s no place to store the 2.4-GHz wireless dongle that comes with the Akko 3098, so be careful not to lose it.

Akko achieves its svelte form factor by pushing the arrow key block much closer to the Left Shift and Enter keys, doing away with the 9-key block with Home / End / Insert / Delete that usually sits above the arrow block, and adding another 4-key row above the numpad. However, you do lose a few keys in the process, including the ever-important Prtscr key and the dedicated Home / End keys, but you can always replicate these with 7 and 1 on the numpad.

I quickly learned that hitting Fn + P invokes the print screen function, but I still missed having a dedicated print screen key. Akko doesn’t provide a built-in way to remap your keys, but other programs such as Sharpkeys provide ways to do that. I would definitely trade the Insert key, which I never use, for Prtscr.

ASA Keycaps on Akko 3098B / N

Akko’s own ASA-style, PBT keycaps are the star of the show, providing the curved shape and large fonts you might find on an old-fashioned mainframe keyboard, but without the elevated height of SA keycaps, which some typists find a little too hard to press. The keys are a mixture of black and dark gray but with bright gold legends,many of which are spelled out in a retro style. For example, instead of a Windows key with the Windows logo on it, the legend says “WIN” in all caps. Other keys like ALT and CTRL are in all caps too, which is reminiscent of terminal keyboards.

The Akko 3098 also comes with a set of 20 alternate keycaps that are gold with black legends on them. These include a spacebar, backspace, enter and shift keys, along with function keys, arrows, Esc and a few keys that have cute drawings on them such as a flower or a cat’s paw. There’s even a key with a legend that reads “PS,” which I would use if I remapped the Insert key into Prtscr.

If you don’t buy the Akko 3098 and just want the keycaps, the company sells them separately for $59. So, if you consider that part of the price, you’re paying a miniscule $50 to $70 for the rest of the keyboard.

Configurations of the Akko 3098

The Akko 3098 comes in a wide variety of color schemes and three major model names. The 3098 regular is the wired-only version and typically goes for less than $90, depending on the keycaps and color. The 3098B and 3098N, both of which we tested, provide three means of connectivity: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz wireless and wired.

The differences between the B and N models are very minor and not apparent just from looking at the keyboard. The 3098B, priced at $109, uses a Beken brand controller chip which provides brighter RGB backlights and purportedly uses a little more power than the Nordic brand chip in the $129 3098N. The Beken can use either Bluetooth 3.0 or Bluetooth 5.0 to provide up to three Bluetooth profiles while the Nordic only uses Bluetooth 5.0 only to support up to four profiles. The Nordic chip allows you to program macros directly onto the keyboard without software (more on that later) while the Beken cannot.

Key Switches on the Akko 3098B / N

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A bigger difference between the Akko 3098B and the 3098N is the switch selection. The 3098B comes with a choice of either Akko CS Jelly White, CS Jelly Pink or CS Jelly Blue switches while the 3098N has Akko TTC Silent Red V3 Switches or TTC Princess switches.

If you don’t like linear switches, you’ll want to take advantage of the 3098’s hot-swapping capability to install ones you like. Though you get a choice of switches when you buy the keyboard, most of them are linear and I didn’t see any clicky options available.

I tested a 3098B with Akko CS Jelly White switches and a 3098N with the TTC Silent Reds. Though I am huge clicky-switch fan and generally dislike linear switches, I really enjoyed typing on the CS Jelly White switches; they made a pleasant sound on the way down and had as much of a tactile feel as I’ve ever experienced from linears. The company says its Jelly White’s require only 35 grams of actuation force with 4mm of travel and 1.9mm of pre-travel.

The TTC Silent Red switches, on the other hand, were extremely unpleasant to use as hitting them felt like pushing down hard against a cardboard box and, after using them for just a few minutes, I couldn’t wait to hot-swap them out for something better. They are specced for 45 grams of actuation force and 4mm of total travel.

Hot-Swapping on the Akko 3098B / N

If you are a clicky aficionado like I am, you can still get a ton out of the Akko 3098B / N; you just have to swap out the switches. Akko makes it easy for you, because the switches are hot-swappable and the sockets support either 3 or 5-pin switches. The only real problem is that the keyboard doesn’t come with a switch puller so, if you don’t have one, you’ll need to buy one. On the bright side, there’s a very competent keycap puller in the box.

To test the hot-swapping experience, I pulled all the TTC Silent Red switches out of the 3098N and replaced them with some Kailh Box White clicky switches, my favorites, that I had in the house. Removing the switches wasn’t difficult; it just required a little elbow grease as I used my puller to wiggle them until they dislodged. Popping in my new switches required a little precision because a few times I bent the pins on a switch by not lining it up properly. However, these issues are the same as I’ve experienced on other hot-swappable keyboards.

After an hour or so of work, I ended up with a dream keyboard: one that combined the wonderful, curved terminal feel of ASA keycaps with the snappy, tactile feedback of Kailh Box White switches and a compact but generous 96-percent layout. It would be ideal if Akko offered the 3098 with a clicky-switch option, but since the company only uses its own TTC and Jelly-branded switches, many folks would still want to bring their own. Considering the very affordable price of the 3098B ($109), it’s not too much of a stretch to also buy switches.

Typing Experience on the Akko 3098B / N

I found typing on both the Akko 3098B, with its default CS Jelly White switches, and 3098N, with my Kailh Box Whites, thrilling. Normally, I’d say that typing on a great keyboard is a pleasure or a joy, but I’ll use the word “thrilling” here, because thanks to the curved, retro-style keys and the auditory feedback I got, I felt like I was typing like people do in blockbuster movies.

WIth the loud clack of the linear CS Jelly White switches and their tactile feel, I felt like I was Matthew Broderick hacking into WOPR in War Games on his old-school IMSAI 8080 computer. I’ve never liked linear switches, but these CS Jelly Whites give just enough of a tactile feel and make such a great sound that I really like typing on them. On the 10 Fast Fingers typing test, I was able to achieve a speed of 105 words per minute, with less than a 5-percent error rate, which is really good for me and above my typical 95 to 100 wpm.

The default TTC Silent Red switches on the Akko 3098N were so bad that I didn’t even attempt a typing test on them. Pressing down on each switch seemed to require a ton of force and the keys were stiffer than even the worst rubber dome keyboards I’ve used.

However, using my Kailh Box White switches on the 3098N took my typing experience to a whole other level. Combining the great indentations on the SA keycaps with the sharp springiness of the switches made me feel like I was sitting in the newsroom of the Daily Planet, banging out a breaking news story at breakneck speed. The keys felt like an extension of my fingers as I hit a strong 114 words per minute with a low 2-percent error rate.

Gaming Experience on Akko 3098B / N

In its instruction manuals, Akko claims that both the 3098B and 3098N have N-Key rollover. Using an online test, I found that the keyboard is able to report at least 10 keys at a time.

In anecdotal testing, the keyboard was more than adequate for gaming. When I fired up a session of Cyberpunk 2077, I had no problem running around in a gun fight and didn’t notice any lag when connecting over 2.4 GHz wireless. I found that, perhaps unsurprisingly, the linear Jelly White switches on the 3098B were better for quick presses than the clicky switches I hot-swapped into the 3098N.

Bluetooth and 2.4-GHz Wireless on Akko 3098B / N

Both the Akko 3098B and 3098N offer a combination of 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth and wired USB connections. The 3098B supports three different Bluetooth profiles and can accommodate Bluetooth 3.0 or 5.0 connections while the 3098N has four profiles that use Bluetooth 5.0. Both models come with 2.4GHz dongles and long USB-C to A cables. I was also able to use my own USB-C cables as a substitute.

All modes worked well and I was particularly impressed with how quickly and easily I could switch among them. On the 3098B, moving from mode to mode was as simple as hitting Fn + E, R or T for Bluetooth profiles, Fn + Y for 2.4-Ghz or Fn + U for wired. The 3098N uses Fn + number 1 to 6 for its four Bluetooth profiles, 2.4-Ghz and wireless modes. It would be more helpful if these shortcuts were labeled but would probably mess with the aesthetic.

Pairing via Bluetooth was pretty seamless, but since this is Bluetooth, there were a couple of brief frustrations during pairing. I found that the 3098N would not Bluetooth pair with my Windows PC until I had deleted the wired profile for the keyboard. And the first time I attempted to pair the 3098B with a Raspberry Pi 4, it somehow tried to pair as Bluetooth 3 and didn’t connect until I deleted and paired again (this time it appeared as Bluetooth 5.0).

However, after that, connecting and reconnecting was a breeze. It took a second or less to switch from one connection to another, allowing me to use one keyboard with both my Pi and my PC at the same time. If you include all five or six connections, you could easily control that many devices from one keyboard.

A three-setting switch also sits on the bottom of each keyboard, allowing you to choose from Windows, Mac or USB modes. It’s important to note, though, that putting the switch on USB, the middle setting, doesn’t actually put the keyboard into USB connectivity mode; it just effectively turns off charging. You still need to select wired or wireless modes using the Fn key.

Battery Life of the Akko 3098B / N

Akko claims that the 3098B uses more power than the 3098N, with the former rated for 14 to 20 hours of wireless use while the latter is rated for 30 to 40 hours. With anecdotal testing, it’s hard to say how accurate those numbers are. I used the 3098N, with RGB enabled, for two to three really long days in a row on 2.4-GHz wireless before it needed a recharge. I didn’t use the 3098B in wireless mode for nearly as long but did, at one point, need to charge it.

RGB Lighting on Akko 3098B / N

While the RGB backlights are a little bit brighter on 3098B than the 3098N, both models offer vibrant colors and a wide variety of more than 20 animations, from the traditional “breathing” and “wave” effects you see on almost every keyboard to “Laster,” which shoots an animation rightward from whatever key you press. Note that the keycaps are not translucent so the light goes around them, but not through them as you’d see on many gaming keyboards.

Overall, the Akko 3098 comes with 20 different lighting effects built in and the ability to do per-key lighting via software. Toggling among the effects is as easy as hitting Fn + Del, Ins, PgUp or PgDn as each of these keys has five effects assigned to it. You can slow down or speed up the effects by hitting Fn and + or -, adjust the brightness with Fn + up or down arrow, change the direction of an animation by hitting Fn + left or right arrow or change from RGB to a single color by hitting Fn + \.

If you download and install the Akko Cloud Driver software, you can view and select all these effects from a pull down menu and you can configure per-key lighting. There are also two “Music Follow” profiles that make your keyboard’s lights flash in time to whatever you’re listening to. When I put on AC/DC’s “Hell’s Bells,” I could see the lights moving to match the ringing bell at the beginning and then the pumping drums and guitar licks. Note that you need to be plugged in to use the software and for this to work.

Built-in Macro Functions of the Akko 3098B / N

While many keyboards come with built-in macro functions or software that enables macros, you can almost always get a better experience by using free, third-party macro software such as AutoHotKey, my personal favorite, or Clavier+. Akko provides the ability to create macros and save them directly to the 3098’s memory, which means that they will run even if you connect to a computer that doesn’t have the keyboard’s software installed. In my experience, though, the benefits weren’t worth the hassle.

The Akko 3098B sets up its macros via the Akko Cloud software. First you go into the Macro tab, click a button to create a new macro, hit the Start button there to record, enter your keystrokes and hit stop. You can edit the list of keys and the delays between each press after you are done recording. Then you can navigate to the main tab which contains a key map and you can select the key or key + fn combo you wish to assign the macro to. You can use this same menu to remap keys, which I did, turning the / key on the numpad into the Prtscr key.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t get the assigned macros on the 3098B to work properly. When I created a macro that was supposed to type “tomshardware.com,” and assigned it to a key, at first all I got was the letter “t.” Then I tried to shorten the delays between each key press in the phrase and the next time I invoked the macro, the keyboard went crazy, rapidly retyping tomshardware.com and then repeating the letter “m” at the end over and over again without stopping until I pulled the plug.

On the Akko 3098N, unlike with the 3098B, you can program macros without installing any software. By using a series of key combinations, you can put the keyboard into record mode, record your action and then assign it to a key combo. I was able to create a macro successfully on the 3098N using this process, but since there’s no UI to edit or even view your macros, it’s not very convenient.

Software on Akko 3098B / N

You can access most of the functions of either the 3098B or 3098N without installing any software, but Akko does have a couple of apps you can download on its website. For the 3098B, there’s a utility called Akko Cloud Driver, which I used to customize the lighting, remap keys and attempt to set macros (with issues). You can also use this utility to check for firmware updates.

The 3098N allows you to set macros without software, but if you want to customize the RGB lighting or check for firmware updates you’ll need to download the “3098N Firmware & Driver” zip file from Akko’s site. Unfortunately, this zip file was flagged by both Windows Defender and Avast antivirus as having an unknown virus so I didn’t try installing any of the software inside.

It remains unclear whether the 3098N Firmware & Driver download is actually infected or if it is triggering a false positive on two different apps. However, I wasn’t about to take the risk of installing it. I sent a note to Akko’s PR asking about this problem and will update this review if I receive a response. On the bright side, you really don’t need the software for the 3098N, unless you want to set custom per-key lighting or use the Music Following lighting effect, which is a gimmick you’ll probably get bored of after five minutes.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

In the course of testing for this review, I spent a month using the Akko 3098B (Jelly White switches) as my everyday keyboard at the office and the Akko 3098N (with switches swapped for Kailh Box Whites) as my daily driver at home. I fell in love with this keyboard’s snazzy design, fantastic build quality, compact layout and, best-of-all, world-class typing experience. During my toughest days of the year — working 18-hour shifts on Black Friday weekend — the keyboard was my tool of choice and it made my job more pleasant.

The SA style keycaps, themselves worth $60, really made the experience as the deep curves cradled my fingers for an extra-tactile experience. The refined look of the Black & Gold color scheme makes it the perfect look for grown-ups, classy-enough for a conservative office space but, like a James Bond tuxedo with a bright gold bowtie, full of flare with the option for an RGB party in the backlight. The build quality of the keyboard belies its affordable price, providing a rock-solid, rattle-free chassis with two-levels of height adjustment. And the 96-percent layout is perfect not only for saving desk space but also for fitting on your lap.

If the Akko 3098B and 3098N were wired-only keyboards, they’d still be a top choice for typing and gaming. However, the 2.4-GHz wireless and Bluetooth capabilities provide a significant helping of gravy on this already scrumptious feast, particularly when you consider the ability to switch back and forth among up to five or six devices at the same time.

As with any feast, there are courses we’d recommend skipping. The software ranges from mediocre in the case of the 3098B’s app to unusable for the 3098N’s download which registers as malware. However, you don’t need either download and would be much better off using a third-party utility such as AutoHotkey to create macros or a program like SharpKeys to remap keys.

If you like linear switches, it’s hard to beat the CS Jelly White switches you can get with the 3098B. It would be ideal if Akko provided a clicky switch option at purchase. However, if you like clickies, you should plan to buy your own switches and hot-swap them into the keyboard. Considering the quality and flexibility of the 3098, it’s still a good price if you include the extra few dollars needed to buy your favorite switches.

When choosing between the nearly-identical Akko 3098B and Akko 3098N, the 3098B is the better buy as it costs $20 less, has better switch options and brighter lights. However, in either case (provided you like or swap the switches), you’re getting a keyboard with world-class build quality and the ability to up your game both at work and play.

Logitech G915 TKL Wireless Gaming Keyboard Review: Compact Luxury (Updated)

Tom’s Hardware Verdict

The Logitech G915 TKL takes our favorite wireless gaming keyboard and makes it cheaper and smaller. With a slim but sturdy, portable frame and the option to easily switch from PC to PC and snappy low-price switches, it’s the premium wireless tenkeyless for mechanical enthusiasts who can afford it.

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For some, less is more when it comes to their gaming or work space. Less clutter, fewer cables means more space on your desk for moving your mouse or having a snack. The Logitech G915 TKL wireless gaming keyboard frees up space in multiple ways, including a tenkeyless design that saves space by dropping the numpad and G macro keys. It also brings an ultra-slim build and the option to connect via Bluetooth or a wireless (USB Type-A dongle).

Available today, the TKL is a smaller and cheaper version of the Logitech G915 Lightspeed, which we reviewed in 2019 and dubbed the best gaming keyboard in the wireless category. The G915 TKL follows tradition with a reliable wireless connection, a luxurious design, low-profile mechanical switches and one heck of a price tag. It also frees up 3.5 inches of desk space over its full-sized counterpart, and at $230 the G915 TKL is 8% cheaper than the full-sized version’s $250 . And today, Logitech unveiled a white version of the G915 TKL, offering a new look for your desktop.

Logitech G915 TKL Specs

Switches	Low Profile GL (Tactile, Clicky or Linear)
Lighting	Per-key RGB
Onboard Storage	Yes
Media Keys	Yes
Game Mode	Yes
Interface	USB Type-A wireless dongle, Bluetooth, USB Type-A cable
Cable	6 feet, braided (optional)
Additional Ports	None
Key Caps	Plastic
Construction	Aluminum top plate, steel-reinforced plastic base
Software	Logitech G Hub
Dimension (LxWxH)	15.2 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches (368 x 150 x 22mm)
Weight (without cable)	1. 8 pounds (810g)
Extra	USB extender

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(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Logitech G915 TKL at Dell for $229.99

The G915 TKL is a near replica of the full-sized G915 Lightspeed. That means it embodies the same svelte, classic and mature tone, with a layout thoughtfully designed for the functionality gamers need.

The first thing you’ll notice is that the G915 TKL doesn’t have a numpad or the programmable and side-flanked G macro keys that the full-sized version has. But at 15.2 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches, the G915 TKL will save you horizontal desk space over the G915 Lightspeed (18.7 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches). You still get three easily accessible profiles stored in the keyboard’s memory and the ability to do on-the-fly macro recording (you can do it via software too), but these are secondary functions of the F1 — F4 keys instead of dedicated soft buttons, like on the G915 Lightspeed.

But that’s enough about sacrifice. A lot of the premium features on the full-sized version appear on the tenkeyless keyboard, including buttery soft media keys and a ribbed, never-ending volume wheel that glides like it’s on ice.

There are also dedicated buttons for toggling the dongle connection, which Logitech calls Lightspeed and switching to a Bluetooth connection. This makes it easy to use the G915 TKL with multiple PCs on the fly. You can toggle RGB brightness with the sun-stamped button (three levels of brightness or off), and once you figure out the button next to the RGB one has a joystick on it, you can activate Game Mode. A power button is easily accessible on the top edge of the chassis, as well as a MicroUSB port for attaching the included cable for charging or wired use.

Part of what you’re paying for is the G915 TKL’s durable, polished build. In an ultrathin, but dense, frame, an aircraft-grade aluminum alloy top plate sits atop a steel-reinforced plastic base that’s subtly textured. Logitech’s Lightsync RGB pops on the brushed-metal finish. Handily, you get dongle storage on the back, as well as two sets of flip-out feet for elevating the keyboard either 8 degrees or 4 degrees. The G915 TKL may very well be the most expensive peripheral to hit your gaming den, but it’ll look the part too.

The Logitech G Hub software (more in the dedicated section below) offers extensive control over RGB, and even the G logo and RGB button are customizable. My favorite pre-set effect, Ocean Wave, slowly transitions between dark blue and a sandy cream. It looks fancy but not gaudy. Meanwhile, the Contrastic RGB animation sets the top row, navigation keys and soft buttons to a contrasting color from the rest, showing the G915 TKL can look more aggressive with its lights too. But like the full-sized G915 Lightspeed, you may notice some light bleeding in between the keys’ spacing that prevents the look from being 100% clean.

Sadly, there’s no wrist rest, even though gaming keyboards much cheaper than Logitech’s G915 keyboards include one free. Although with many free wrist rests being flimsy or made of stiff plastic, it’s possible you may have opted to buy something more plush, like the HyperX wrist rest, anyway.

The keycaps on the G915 TKL are the same smooth plastic and although they feel a bit more premium than your typical extra slick plastic caps, they still show marks easily on the black version. The white version has fared better here. I’ve only been using it for about 3 days, but the white keycaps seem more resistant to smudging than the black ones. Speaking of which, it’s nice for Logitech to introduce another color option with the G915 TKL while it also launches more colors for some other gaming products, (including the Logitech G203 Lightsync mouse) and the colorful Logitech G733 Lightspeed gaming headset. The white version looks cheaper than the original at first glance, but it’s growing on me — especially the shiny silver of the brushed aluminum top plate. But with Logitech’ also today releasing products in lilac and blue. I’m still left dreaming of the possibilities.

With the G915 TKL’s slim build, you’re not fitting a USB passthrough port here. But don’t forget, the keyboard can work over Bluetooth, so it doesn’t have to use a PC port at all.

The Das Keyboard 4C TKL is more of a professional tenkeyless keyboard, but the wired clacker fits two USB Type-A passthrough ports in a 15.5 x 6 x 1.1 inch chassis, and the G.Skill KM360 tenkeyless board is even smaller than our review unit (15.2 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches). Yet, both of those wired rivals lack media keys, not to mention much of the functionality of Logitech’s more expensive option.

Typing Experience

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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

(Image credit: Future)

The G915 TKL comes with Logitech’s low-profile GL mechanical switches , either tactile, clicky or linear ones (the same options available with the full-sized version). My review unit came with tactile switches made with Kailh and fitting the specification ranges of Kailh Choc Browns .

The Logitech GL Tactile switches have a total travel of 2.7mm and have a noticeable bump before their 1.5mm actuation point, actuating with 50g of force. There isn’t a direct Cherry MX comparison, since that brand’s low-profile options are linear. But the Cherry MX Low Profile Red switch has 3.2mm total travel and actuates at 1.2mm with 46g.

Indeed, Logitech GL switches are quite low, but in the case of my review unit, the tactile bump keeps typing friendly. The keyboard didn’t feel mushy, and with the keys being close together, it was easy to get comfortable. It will take a little time to get used to the lack of space south of the spacebar, which is almost at the edge of the keyboard. The keys’ switches are silent, while the keycaps make a quieter plastic-y clacking sound when pressed.

The G915 TKL’s plastic keycaps are smooth and also very gently curved, providing enough space for your fingertips to feel comfortable. While the keycaps are on the slicker side, they still felt premium and stable during aggressive typing.

On the 10fastfingers.com typing test, I averaged 125 words per minute (wpm), which is much faster than my usual 108 wpm. This was likely due to the low-profile switches actuating quicker than traditional mechanical switches. Meanwhile, my accuracy dropped slightly from 98% to 97.2%, and I attribute this to the closeness of the keys and my fingers not yet being used to having the spacebar so close to the keyboard’s edge.

Gaming Experience

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

According to Logitech, its tactile GL switches are best for competitive and first-person shooter gaming, while the linear ones are great for MMO and action games.

The low-profile tactile switches on my review unit certainly felt responsive and fast when playing Battlefield V. With the short travel, it wasn’t tiresome to do long presses, like when following a leading soldier. The bump here feels less pronounced than that of a traditional Cherry MX Brown switch, which has 4mm total travel and actuates at 2mm (compared to the GL tactile’s 2. 7 and 1.5mm). With not a long way to go to press a key, rapid inputs felt easy too.

In Overwatch, having low-profile keys made it more fun to activate different moves in rapid succession, enabling speedy, strategic action. It was easy to quickly move from one move to the next. With both Battlefield V and Overwatch, the extra desk space for my erratic — I mean, calculated — moves with my best gaming mouse also came in handy.

After hours using the G915 TKL, gaming or otherwise, I never experienced a dropout with the wireless dongle, even with my PC also running dongles for my gaming headset and mouse. The keyboard uses Logitech’s proprietary Lightspeed wireless dongle technology that’s supposed to offer a “pro-grade” wireless connection. Logitech says it crafted this feature “from hardware to firmware” with thoroughly tested protocol and algorithms for all gaming environments. We don’t usually recommend using Bluetooth over a dongle connection for serious gaming, and with Logitech’s investment in Lightspeed we’d recommend it even less. Lightspeed is part of what you’re paying for here (in case you couldn’t tell by the massive logo on the keyboard).

Still, the TKL showed a reliable Bluetooth connection (as did the full-sized version) in my short time with it in this mode. And if you can’t afford to even think about risking connectivity issues, the keyboard also works with an included Micro USB to USB Type-A cable.

The G915 TKL also makes itself gamer-friendly with its feature set too. You can toggle between three profiles with FN keys. The board also allows on-the-fly (or software) macro recording for the FN row. And although the G915 TKL doesn’t claim to have n-key rollover, with an informal test using an online tool I was able to register 26 keys simultaneously. That said, multitaskers, streamers and those who like extra macros will miss the five programmable G buttons that the full-sized G915 Lightspeed has.

Battery Life

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

The G915 TKL charges over the included Micro USB to USB Type-A cable, and Logitech claims it can go from 0-100% battery in under four hours and last 40 hours on a single charge.

I’ve only had the G915 TKL for a few days, so I haven’t hit the 40-hour mark yet. However, I’ve been using the keyboard with its Lightspeed wireless dongle connection for 13 hours and 30 minutes, and Logitech’s G Hub software says the battery is at 75%. This is with the keyboard’s RGB lighting set to max brightness unless the keyboard’s been inactive for 1 minute, at which point brightness drops 50%, or idle for 5 minutes, when RGB will turn off completely. You can also have the keyboard’s lights flash a breathing red when battery life is under 15%, so your keyboard never has to die mid-game.

Features and Software

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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Logitech G Hub is extensive and relatively complex software for a peripheral. It’s not intuitive at first, but it offers a lot of functionality over the keyboard.

In the Lightsync menu, you can program each key’s lighting color, as well as the G logo, media keys and RGB brightness button. You do this through a color picker or by entering red, green and blue values. The software also has nine preset RGB effects, including the standard rainbow Wave and a Screen Sampler — which makes an RGB effect that mimics what’s on your screen (searching “orange” in Google turned the keyboard’s lighting orange). There’s also the complicated Audio Visualizer RGB effect, which has advanced settings including a percentage for clip zone, bass zone and mid-high noise thresholds and percentage for audio boost. The software’s “Animations” are like having more RGB presets and include more animated effects, liek Verticool, which turns the keyboard blue then green row by row, and Ocean Wave, which slowly changes between shades of blue and sandy cream.

G Hub’s Assignments sections is overwhelming at first glance, but lets you program the FN row, including macros. There are special actions pre-installed catering to gamers that use Overwolf, Discord or OBS. Still, with a keyboard this expensive, it would’ve been nice if more keys were programmable. The Roccat Vulcan 122 Aimo’s software, for example, can give almost every key on the wired keyboard a second function.

(Image credit: Future)

Whether you’re looking for a keyboard that can travel to LAN parties, to work or just from one room or PC to another, the Logitech G915 TKL is as good as it gets. Its easily swappable Blueooth or wireless dongle connections make it fit for using with multiple PCs, and its tenkeyless form trims down an already slender build even more.

As a gaming keyboard, Logitetech offers key features, like customizable per-key RGB, that even extends to the logo and some of the rubber control buttons. You also get easy macro recording and up to three onboard profiles. But at this price, we also expected Logitech to include a wrist rest and USB passthrough, which you can find on much cheaper mechanical keyboards. Although, a USB passthrough port would potentially interfere with the keyboard’s wireless connection and affect battery life.

When it comes to wireless tenkeyless alternatives, however, there isn’t heavy competition. The Razer Turret is $250 as of writing but comes with an expandable tray for the included mouse. That makes it a decent deal, but it might not be what you’re looking for exactly. The wireless Corsair K63 is only $100 , but it only has blue backlighting and doesn’t look nearly as lavish as our review unit.

With looks, reliability and functionality, the G915 TKL is the ultimate small-form-factor wireless gaming keyboard. Whether or not you can afford it is another story.

Editor’s note: This review was originally published on June 10, 2020 and was updated on August 25, 2020 to cover the white version announced that day.

Scharon Harding has a special affinity for gaming peripherals (especially monitors), laptops and virtual reality. Previously, she covered business technology, including hardware, software, cyber security, cloud and other IT happenings, at Channelnomics, with bylines at CRN UK.

8 Best Wireless Mechanical Keyboards

Many people love mechanical keyboards for their ease of typing, but you know what makes them even better? No more dealing with those annoying cords. And while wireless mechanical keyboards used to be limited, you now have more than ever before.

What to look for in a

wireless mechanical keyboard

When it comes to wireless mechanical keyboards, you may not have many options compared to wired ones, but that doesn’t mean you should just buy any board. There’s also a lot to know about mechanical keyboards, but these are the factors you should be most concerned with:

Build Quality: Mechanical keyboards are expensive, so you need something worth the price you pay. Most keyboards will be made from either plastic or aluminum, with aluminum being the more durable but expensive option.
Keys: Not far from the build quality of are the keys on the keyboard. Most keys are made of ABS or PBT plastic, with PBT being more durable. But that doesn’t mean you should immediately ignore ABS keys, as high quality ABS keys are still worth using. There is also a method of double deleting the key inscriptions, which prevents them from disappearing over time. Some keyboards also have alternate functions for certain keys via certain key combinations, and it’s useful to have these alternate functions printed on the keys.
Switch selection: The switches are located under each keyboard and are what make mechanical keyboards special. There are many different switches. However, they all basically fall into one of three categories: clicky (switches that make a noticeable click), tactile (switches with significant tactile impact but no click), and linear (smooth switches without a tactile impact or click). . The switches are also available in a variety of stem designs, the standard being an MX style cross stem. There are rarely aftermarket keycaps made for custom feet, so it’s worth keeping that in mind.
Layout: There are a variety of keyboard layouts to choose from, in addition to the standard full-size layout and keyless layout (full-size layout with numpad disabled) that you see on most boards. In most of these layouts, you trade certain keys in exchange for a smaller board; whether it’s worth it or not, it’s up to you.
Connection method: Although all keyboards in this list are wireless, there are several forms of wireless connection. The most obvious of these is Bluetooth, which is also the easiest to use on all platforms. But some keyboards rely on the USB-A RF connector to work properly, while others may use their own unique connector. Most wireless cards also give you the option to plug in a keyboard so that it can be used as a standard wired keyboard when the battery is low. (Usually this happens through the charging cord, which means you can use and charge the keyboard at the same time.)
Battery life: Using a wireless keyboard means you have to worry about battery life. It’s also important to note that a backlit keyboard will burn batteries much faster when the backlight is on than when it’s off.
Battery type: While most keyboards use rechargeable batteries, some keyboards use AA power. Note what each keyboard relies on.
Additional features: RGB lighting, programmable keys, macros and dedicated media controls are not what a keyboard needs, but they can make using your new keyboard a lot more fun.

1.Ultra-compact: Anne Pro 2

If saving space on your desk is your top concern (or you need a keyboard that’s perfect for traveling), then the 60% layout is the way to go.

It lacks a lot of keys (most of the navigation keys, special arrow keys and function row) and focuses on just giving you what you need. And when it comes to wireless boards with this layout, Anne Pro 2 is one of the best.

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Not only is the keyboard wireless, it has several more high-quality functions. You can still access missing keys with key combinations (like FN+W for the up arrow key), and there’s even side printing on the keycaps to tell you what each key’s alternate action is. The keycaps are made of PBT plastic and are double shaped.

The keyboard has full RGB backlighting that can be deeply customized in the companion app ObinsKit, where you can also reprogram the keyboard layout and layers so that each key (or key combination) does whatever you want — you can even create macros.

Anne Pro 2 uses Bluetooth to connect and works in wired mode (with USB-A cable) if you need it.

Finally, when it comes to switching options, there is a good choice for Anne Pro 2. You can choose between 11 different switches: Cherry MX Blue, Cherry MX Brown, Cherry MX Red, Cherry MX Silver, Gateron Blue, Gateron Brown, Gateron . Red, Kailh Black, Kailh Brown, Kailh Red and Kailh White Box.

You can get the keyboard in either black or white (and this also applies to keycaps). You can also expect the Anne Pro 2 to last around eight hours on a full charge (although you can expect it to last longer with the lights off), and it uses a rechargeable battery.

2.Slim and Stylish: Hexgears X-1

If you’re looking for something compact that doesn’t get rid of as many keys as the Anne Pro 2, then the Hexgears X-1 might be what you’re looking for.

This is an ultra-slim keyboard with a thickness of only 0.8 inches with a highly compact and unique layout. As you can see from the previous image, you still have number and function rows, dedicated arrow keys, and even a full numeric keypad, while navigation keys like Home and Delete are keyboard shortcuts. The

X-1 relies on Kailh’s low-profile switches to achieve its thin frame, which uses a unique stem design (so there are no extra keycaps here). The keyboard casing is made of durable aluminum, which should help avoid flex despite the keyboard’s slim profile.

There is no companion app for the X-1, which means there are no reprogramming options available. If you want to customize the backlight, you’ll have to do so using various key combinations.

The X-1 rechargeable battery lasts approximately eight hours with the backlight on, but can last up to 40 hours with the lights off. You can choose from three switches: Kailh Choc Brown, Red or White.

Also available in black or white. The X-1 uses Bluetooth for wireless connection, but it also comes with a USB-A cable for wired connection.

3.Hot-swap: Keychron K6 and K8

When it comes to gaming, wireless keyboards are in a quandary — a wireless connection naturally introduces latency. While this won’t matter to most users, a slight delay between logins can be bad for competitive play.

Fortunately, Razer has a solution that basically fixes this problem: HyperSpeed wireless. This form of wireless connection reduces latency by a ton and is built into the BlackWidow V3 Pro (it also supports standard Bluetooth). But that’s not the only thing that makes this keyboard great.

Since this is a Razer keyboard, it works with Razer Synapse 3, allowing you to customize the backlighting and function of each key.

On top of that, the BlackWidow V3 Pro has a sleek aluminum top plate, double ABS keycaps, and a battery life of 10 to 25 hours depending on which mode the RGB backlighting is on (if it’s off, you can expect that it will work). last up to 192 hours).

There are also some useful media controls above the number pad, a volume control and a detachable magnetic wrist rest. For both gaming and general use, this is a fantastic keyboard with great wireless technology to keep it going.

You can get the BlackWidow V3 with Razer’s clicky green or linear yellow switches, as well as the BlackWidow V3 Mini, which has the same great features in a more compact form factor (minus the media controls and wrist rest).

4. A compact without sacrifice: Keychron K2 and K4

Hot-swappable keyboards are great! They allow you to quickly flip switches on your keyboard without even looking at your soldering gun, which can save you a lot of time and save you a lot of time. And if you need hot-swappable wireless connectivity, the Keychron K6 and K8 keyboards are your best bet.

K6 uses a 65% layout (it’s just a 60% layout with special arrow keys and a few navigation keys) and K8 uses a layout without ten keys. While these layouts are very different, these keyboards are nearly identical when it comes to features.

There isn’t a companion app for them yet, but Keychron says it will release one «soon», but the company has also said so for the past year or so. But even out of the box, both keyboards are programmed to use various key combinations to give you full access to any missing keys and complete media control.

Keycaps (which are made of ABS plastic) help with this, with all of the alternate functions for each key printed on the keycaps.

As for options, there are quite a few. You can get these keyboards with plastic or aluminum chassis, white or RGB backlighting, and either Gateron (red, blue, or brown) or LK switches (which promise lower latency and come in red, blue, or brown options).

You can also purchase these non-hot swap keyboards for about $10 less.

Both keyboards come with macOS keycaps installed, as well as an additional set of Windows keycaps in the box, which is rare in the world of mechanical keyboards.

Both use Bluetooth for wireless communication, but they can be used wired with the included USB-A cable and last about 70 hours with the static backlight on.

5. Faster than light: Logitech G613 and G915

Another keyboard duo from Keychron. However, while the K2 and K4 may not be as hot swappable as the K6 and K8, they are still great keyboards.

K2 uses a 75% layout and K4 uses a 96% layout. You can think of these layouts as compact versions of the no-key layouts and full-size layouts, respectively, as they group all the keys together to save space.

Like the K6 and K8, there are no reprogramming tools available for these keyboards, but you can still access the media controls (and a few missing keys) using the key combinations printed on the keycaps.

You also still get macOS-friendly keycaps out of the box, with an additional set of Windows keys also included. And like the K6 and K8, the K2 and K4 use Bluetooth for wireless communication with the included USB-A cable for wired mode.

You can choose between aluminum or plastic housing for both boards, as well as white backlighting or full RGB backlighting. The

K2 lets you get PBT keycaps if you want (although you’ll be limited to white backlighting and a plastic body), and you can choose between Gateron Blue, Red, or Brown switches. 9The 0006

K4 may not have PBT keycaps available, but it offers more switch options, including LK Optical Blue, Red, and Brown switches, and Gateron Blue, Red, Brown, and Yellow switches.

Both Keychron K2 and K4 use rechargeable batteries and can operate for approximately 72 hours on a full charge.

6. Faster than Light: Logitech G613 and G915

When it comes to wireless keyboards, latency can be a problem as it will always be higher than a wired keyboard. Most people won’t notice the difference, but if you’re particularly concerned about it, then Logitech’s Lightspeed Wireless technology might give you what you’re looking for.

This is a form of wireless that cuts down on latency, and while still not as good as a wired keyboard, it can outperform other forms of wireless (most notably Bluetooth).

Logitech currently has two Lightspeed mechanical keyboards: the G613 and G915.

G613 is a full-sized keyboard with six dedicated «G-keys» that can be reprogrammed into the Logitech G Hub. Only Romer-G switches can be used with it, which is a lightweight tactile switch.

The G613 doesn’t have a backlight, but it does have a set of dedicated media controls located above the number pad, which is always nice to see. It also has a built-in wrist rest for improved ergonomics.

The last thing to note about the G613 is its battery life, which Logitech claims is up to 18 months with regular use on two AA batteries, which is definitely impressive.

G915 is a full size or tenkeyless board that uses low profile switches to make the keyboard thinner.

It has an all-aluminum body, dedicated media controls, and a volume scroll wheel, and the full-size version comes with five reprogrammable «G-keys».

You can choose from three switches: GL Clicky, GL Tactile and GL Linear. The full size version lasts around 30 hours with the lights on, while the TKL version lasts around 40 hours with the lights on. (Both run significantly longer with the lights off.) Both versions use a battery.

Because both boards use Logitech’s own switches, aftermarket keycaps don’t fit either. And while the Logitech Lightspeed Wireless requires its own USB-A dongle, both keyboards can also be used in Bluetooth (along with wired mode).

7. Budget Option: VELOCIFIRE Mechanical Keyboard

All the keyboards discussed so far have been quite expensive, but the VELOCIFIRE keyboard manages to reach a more affordable price point.

There isn’t much to say about this board as it has an all-white backlight and comes with an unnamed tactile switch.

But no matter the price, this is a solid board whether you’re typing or playing. You can choose from a black or white case, as well as a full-size version of the board. Both TKL and the full size version rely on a USB-A dongle for wireless communication, but they also work in wired mode. The

VELOCIFIRE does not list an approximate battery life, only stating that it comes with a 1850 mAh rechargeable battery that should last several months of use with the backlight off.

8.Best for Office Workers: FILCO Majestouch Convertible 2

If you prefer an understated and quiet keyboard, the Filco Majestouch Convertible 2 (what’s the name) should give you just that with its all-black look and quiet switches. It uses a standard full-size layout and blends in perfectly with other pieces of office equipment.

The keycaps are made of ABS plastic and are printed on the side to show alternate key functions (mainly media management). The keyboard connects via Bluetooth and can be used in wired mode using the included USB-A cable.

You have the choice between Cherry MX Brown, Blue and Black. If you want the keyboard to be as quiet as possible, you should opt for Cherry MX Black switches as they are linear switches. Lastly, battery life is one of the Majestouch’s biggest selling points as it can last up to 900 hours on two AA batteries.

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The best wireless keyboards 2022

Content

How we chose the best wireless keyboards
Best wireless keyboards 2022: Recommendations and recommendations Best Wireless keyboard in general: Logitech G915 TKL Wirelad
Best Wireless Gaming Keyboard: Redragon K552 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Best Wireless Mechanical Keyboard: Keychron K2 9 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard0011
Best Mac Wireless Keyboard: Apple Magic Keyboard
Best Ergonomic Keyboard: Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard
What should I consider before buying a wireless keyboard?
Conclusion

Wireless keyboards are a great way to get rid of unnecessary wires. While your computer or laptop may need a direct connection to a power source, other desktop items such as keyboards, mice, and smartphone or tablet chargers can work wirelessly and help keep your workspace clean of unsightly clutter. And you might even be happier if you focus on work or on the task at hand when your home office radiates zen.

Like a wireless mouse, wireless keyboards contain small radio transmitters and are usually battery operated. Basically, you just plug the receiver into one of the USB ports on your computer, which then sends a signal to your keyboard. Although some wireless keyboards even work via Bluetooth, connecting devices is as simple as selecting the keyboard from the Bluetooth drop-down menu on your computer.

Wireless keyboards can cost between $30 and $200, depending on quality and performance. Therefore, it is important to know what you want to buy. To get you started, we’ve put together the following list with the best wireless keyboards perfect for everything from gaming to long hours of remote work and more.

Best Overall: Logitech G915 TKL Wireless Keyboard
Best Wireless: Redragon K552 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Best Mechanical: Keychron K2 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard
Best for Mac: Apple Magic Keyboard

1 Best Economics 90 : Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard

How We Picked the Best Wireless Keyboards

Methodology

When making our final decision, we evaluated the top brands of wireless keyboards. We then selected individual models based on feature set and average customer reviews. Overall, we evaluated 15 to 20 wireless keyboards before narrowing down the list to five that received positive customer reviews.

In particular, we paid special attention to ergonomics and usability, battery life and compatibility. The latter is an especially important detail, as many of the best wireless keyboards on the market are, unfortunately, only geared towards PC users. As such, we made sure to include two options for Mac users — both a dedicated Apple keyboard and another cross-compatible keyboard for PC and Mac, as well as for smartphones and tablets.

Connectivity is another noteworthy feature. While USB technology is great for connecting wireless keyboards and mice, there’s certainly something to be said for the convenience of Bluetooth. This may be especially important for some people, as many laptop models and brands these days have very few USB ports for connecting printers, scanners, MP3 players, chargers, and other devices. Thus, not everyone may have a free USB drive to connect a wireless keyboard or mouse, for that matter.

Best wireless keyboards 2022: reviews and recommendations

Best wireless keyboard overall: Logitech G915 TKL Wireless Keyboard

Immerse yourself in focused computing or gaming sessions with premium features that let you feel in complete control in any situation.

Specifications:

Product dimensions: 15.2″ (L) x 5.9″ (W) x 0.9″ (H)
Connectivity technology: Bluetooth, USB
Compatible devices: PC

Superflow Professional level performance

Construction from aviation aluminum alloys

Improveed low -profile mechanical switches 9000

Small letters and numbers on the keys 9000

according to Logitech GUB are not intuitively. the flexibility and freedom of wires with the Logitech G9 Wireless Keyboard15 TKL. This gorgeous keyboard uses aircraft-grade aluminum alloy to provide an incredibly thin yet rigid and durable design, while also helping to create an overall clean aesthetic. In addition, Lightspeed wireless technology delivers ultra-fast 1ms performance, which indicates the speed of response that a pixel can display on your monitor screen.

Dedicated media controls feature a precision-engineered, edgeless volume wheel that is easy to control to seamlessly play, pause, skip, or mute media. Similarly, advanced low profile mechanical switches deliver the speed, precision and performance of traditional mechanical switches at half the height. You’ll also have plenty of room for your mouse thanks to a thoughtful keyless design.

Plus, you can customize your experience with Logitech’s G Hub software, which lets you personalize each key, create custom animations, and sync lighting with unique Lightsync technology. However, unfortunately, many users find the G Hub software difficult to learn and not intuitive. Another small issue that some people have is that the letters and numbers on the keys are small and hard to read, and the shift keys don’t light up like other characters.

Best Wireless Gaming Keyboard: Redragon K552 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

Serious gamers will love high-performance features such as backlit mechanical LED keys that are also conflict-free and anti-ghosting for maximum performance.

Specifications:

Product dimensions: 1.46″ (L) x 13.94″ (W) x 4.86″ (H)
Connectivity: USB
Compatible devices: PC

Conflict keys with false triggers

Available price

Strong design from the ABS-Stali

Classes are located very highly

Klavi cannot be repainted for all the same color 9000,

Raise your games to the new level with the Redragon K552, a small and compact mechanical gaming keyboard with Cherry MX linear switches for a quiet click and fast action with minimal drag. Rainbow LED backlit keys have 19different lighting effects with two user-defined modes and six colors with multiple brightness levels so you can fully customize your experience. The ABS metal steel construction is ergonomic and durable, while the plate-mounted keys withstand the strain of even the toughest marathon gaming sessions.

For conflict-free typing with anti-false positives, all 87 keys are multi-key enabled, which means that every key or button pressed is noted even if you press multiple keys at the same time. The keyboard is also splash-proof with a corrosion-resistant, gold-plated, high-speed USB connector that provides a secure connection for added security.

The only thing you should be aware of is that the keys themselves are quite tall, so you may want to add a wrist rest to your order before ordering. Also, other customer reviews note that you can’t change the entire keyboard to one color — only style and brightness. But for an affordable price that’s less than half the price of some comparable competitor models, it’s really a very minor gripe overall.

Best Wireless Mechanical Keyboard: Keychron K2 9 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard0220

Designed with Mac users in mind, this keyboard has all the Mac function keys you need and is compatible with Windows.

Specifications:

Product dimensions: 25.2″ (L) x 25.2″ (W) x 7.6″ (H)
Connectivity: Bluetooth, USB
Compatible devices: Mac, PC, tablet, smartphone

Compatible with all devices

Extra keycaps included

Ergonomic slanted bottom bezel

No easy way to check battery level

Space bar can sometimes get stuck

While most wireless keyboards are designed exclusively for Mac or PC users, the Keychron K2 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard works with any operating system and is even compatible with smartphones and tablets. The durable aluminum frame features an unmistakable Mac-style layout with all the essential function keys and additional Windows keycaps. Although compact, the 75% keyless keyboard still retains keyboard shortcuts and arrow keys, and comes with a dedicated screen capture key for added convenience.

In addition to wide compatibility, you can also connect up to three devices at the same time using Bluetooth 5.1 and switch between devices quite easily. And in case Wi-Fi is ever unstable, the device comes with a USB Type-C connection enabled, so you can use it in wired mode as a last resort. Another great feature is the ergonomic design with a sloped bottom bezel that makes the keyboard comfortable to type on even without a palm rest.

With a large 4000 mAh battery, one of the largest and most powerful for use in a mechanical keyboard, the Keychron K2 can last up to 72 hours of continuous typing or up to seven days of regular use of approximately eight hours a day. Unfortunately, however, there is no easy way to tell when the battery is low, so to avoid being stuck with a dead battery, you may need to charge it more often.

Best wireless keyboard for Mac: Apple Magic Keyboard

With features such as an extended layout and built-in rechargeable battery, this sleek Apple keyboard is well worth the price.

Specifications:

Product dimensions: 17.5 x 5.0 x 0.79 inches
Connectivity: Bluetooth, USB
Compatible devices: Mac

Slim, low profile design with advanced layout

document management

Built-in rechargeable battery

Non-illuminated keys

No retractable feet for angle adjustment

The Apple Magic Keyboard is the perfect accessory for all your existing Mac devices, from tablets to laptops to desktops. An advanced layout with document controls for fast scrolling and full-size arrow keys for gaming is perfect for just about any task. In addition, the numeric keypad is ideal for spreadsheets and financial applications.

The secret to this slim, low-profile design lies in the scissor mechanism under each key, which provides increased stability and optimized key travel, yet is comfortable enough to provide an overall comfortable and accurate typing experience. Another great feature is the long-lasting built-in rechargeable battery that can power the keyboard for a month or more on a single charge. It’s also environmentally friendly as you won’t be using battery after battery.

Despite the hefty price tag, customers seem to really like the Apple Magic Keyboard, which boasts a near-perfect 4.8-star rating. In fact, one of the downsides of vocals among users is that the keys are not backlit, making it difficult to use the keyboard in dim lighting. A few other users have complained about the lack of flip-out feet to increase the angle of the keyboard, however, by its nature, the thin profile likely won’t accommodate flip-out feet.

Best Ergonomic Keyboard: Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard

Designed with advanced ergonomic principles in mind, this split keyboard layout helps position your wrists and forearms in a natural, relaxed position for all-day comfort.

Specifications:

Product dimensions: 8.96″ (L) x 15.43″ (W) x 3.87″ (H)
Connectivity: USB
Compatible devices: PC

Detachable keyboard design

Padded palm rest for extra support

Wireless mouse included

Fast response numeric keypad

Large USB receiver

Ergonomic keyboard features a modern, ergonomic Microsoft Keyboard design combined with an amazingly comfortable feel and built on cutting-edge ergonomic principles to keep your hands and wrists comfortable during extended computer sessions. The split keyboard layout lets you position your wrists and forearms in a naturally relaxed position by splitting the number pad. Plus, the padded palm rest provides extra support. It promotes a neutral position, and the keyboard’s domed shape helps reduce wrist pronation by holding the wrists at a natural, relaxed angle.

Other thoughtful touches include a thumb notch to help maintain proper hand and wrist ergonomics, a Windows button for quick access to the Start screen, a back button for faster navigation, and even a silent mode for infants and children to sleep.

While a separate number pad also provides more flexibility in setting up your workspace, some users have noticed that if the pad is too far away from the computer, it can become finicky and slow. Another potential problem for some users is that the USB receiver is huge—almost twice as long as competitor models. While you might not notice it when plugged into the back of a desktop computer, many laptop users will definitely find it intrusive.

What should I consider before buying a wireless keyboard?

When considering upgrading to a wireless keyboard, it’s important to evaluate which features will be most useful for your unique needs. For example, some people like the sleek, minimalistic design of the low-profile keyboard. However, these types of keyboards aren’t always the most comfortable, so if wrist support is out of the question, you can opt for an ergonomic option designed to give your hands and wrists the full support they need.

Another consideration is whether or not you want the mechanical keyboard. When most people think of an old-school click-and-click keyboard, that’s what they mean. Mechanical keyboards work with under-key switches that consist of several moving parts, including a hard plastic «stem» containing two metal contacts and a spring underneath. When a key is pressed, the stem pushes the spring down so that the two metal contacts connect, which then registers the keystroke in the keyboard circuitry. Mechanical keyboards are generally of higher quality than modern keyboards, but they can also cost more, last longer, and feel heavier.

compatibility is another concern for those who buy a wireless keyboard. For Mac users, choosing a wireless keyboard can be more of a challenge since many styles and models, especially mechanical or gaming keyboards, are only compatible with PCs. So if you’re a Mac user, keep a close eye on these specifications to make sure your keyboard works with your computer’s settings.

Do wireless keyboards have delays?

Can I recycle my old keyboard?

Should I buy a wireless keyboard?

Conclusion

With a sleek aluminum alloy design and low-profile mechanical switches for speed and performance, it’s no wonder our top pick for the best wireless keyboard is also our best overall: the Logitech G915 TKL Wireless Keyboard. However, since the Logitech G915 TKL is only compatible with PC users, for Mac users, we recommend either the Keychron K2 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard or the Apple Magic Keyboard. Both are great options that are compatible with Mac OS systems, but given the Apple Magic’s higher cost, it all comes down to how much money you want to spend.

with backlight and touchpad, power, design, autonomy, price

Alexander Gerasimov

uses wireless keyboards

Author profile

I have been using wireless keyboards for many years and changed several devices.

They are very convenient and get rid of the restrictions associated with wires. However, in some models, you may experience input lag and connection problems, and the price tag can surprise you.

I studied several interesting gadgets that differ in cost, size and purpose. And I want to present a selection of keyboards that deserve attention.

But we do not distort or embellish reviews, and the choice of specific devices for the test does not depend on whether we receive a commission.

Equipment reviews in Tinkoff Magazine are independent. The verdict depends only on how the devices performed during the tests.

For reviews, we either request equipment from the manufacturer for a test, or purchase it ourselves. Our reviews are subjective, but honest and expert — opinions are written by authors who have more than one technical review behind them. The editorial team of Tinkoff Magazine double-checks the texts, proofreads them and conducts a fact check.

All prices are at the time of publication, but we update them periodically to keep the reviews up to date.

Straight to the bottom line →

Selection criteria

To select a short list of wireless keyboards, I looked at reviews on Yandex Market, studied reviews of the most popular and most unusual models, and also relied on my own purchase experience. Initially, eleven models got into the rating — the shortlist for the test turned out as follows:

Logitech MX Keys.
Asus Rog Falchion Cherry MX.
Logitech K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard.
Microsoft QSZ-00011.
Lenovo Professional Wireless Keyboard.
Prestigio Click&Touch 2.
Apple Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad.
Logitech G613.
Oklick 840S.
Microsoft All-in-One Media Keyboard.
A4Tech Fstyler FBK25.

The editors of Tinkoff Magazine purchased keyboards and sent them to me for testing. An active study of all models took a week: I used them in different conditions — both on work issues at the computer, and in games, and with other devices like a smartphone or TV.

For the final selection of candidates, I have identified several criteria. Below is their complete list.

Quality materials and workmanship. Keyboard plastic should not irritate with every touch, and gaps are not allowed on the case due to the assembly curve. This applies not only to expensive, but also to the most budget models in the selection.

Moderate input lag. Wireless input can cause lag that is unacceptable in either office or gaming models.

Clear positioning. There are many good keyboards on the market — you can’t limit yourself to one rating. Therefore, I choose devices designed for specific tasks. I test gaming models, use the keyboard in conjunction with a smart TV or with several devices in turn.

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The following keyboards got into the final nominations:

Logitech MX Keys — the best of the best.
Logitech K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard — for tablet and smartphone.
Asus Rog Falchion Cherry MX is the gamer’s choice.
Lenovo Professional Wireless Keyboard is a long-lasting classic.
Oklick 840S is the most compact.
Apple Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad is the best for Apple.
Microsoft All-in-One Media Keyboard — for smart TVs.

I tell you how I selected the winners, what are the advantages and disadvantages of each model.

From £12,097

The best of the best — Logitech MX Keys

Logitech MX Keys are a very well thought out and comfortable model that you get used to in a day. I typed the entire text of the selection using this keyboard.

It looks nice, pleases with high-quality plastic and a thin body, and after the first hour of work, you don’t want to change this model for anything else. Ergonomics are well thought out.

For example, the scissor keys have a slight indentation to better fit the fingertips. Therefore, I liked typing long texts on this keyboard the most. The layout is universal — the keyboard can be used on Mac and Windows. In everyday use, the Logitech MX Keys are nearly silent, although the Apple Magic Keyboard is even quieter.

There is an indicator that turns red when the battery is low. The keyboard can be powered via the USB Type-C connector.

Logitech MX Keys also quickly switches between three gadgets — it was possible to use the keyboard on a computer, tablet and laptop without any problems. After connecting all the devices, just press one of the three buttons to the right of the Fn keys — the keyboard will immediately connect to the desired gadget.

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Silver backlighting is adjustable over a wide range and automatically turns on when your hands are above the keyboard thanks to the built-in proximity sensor. It also works in the dark, you won’t miss the right symbol.

The disadvantage of Logitech MX Keys is that they are not cheap. However, she honestly works out her value. This can be understood if you work at the keyboard for at least a day. Logitech has created a great input device that many will love.

How much it costs:

in M-video — 15,999 R;
in Citylink — 16,799 R; Logitech K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard
Logitech K780 trump card with one click — quick switching between several gadgets Easy Switch keys. The keyboard supports Windows, Mac, iOS and Android — you can connect your iPhone, tablet and laptop to it at the same time.

Real scenario: during the day I typed text on the computer, and in the evening I moved to another room so as not to disturb my wife’s sleep. I connected a smartphone and a tablet to the Logitech K780: Telegram was opened on the phone, and a work account in Google Docs was opened on the tablet.

When I needed to chat with friends or add a couple of sentences to an article, I switched between devices at the touch of a button. At the same time, both gadgets were right in front of my eyes.

The Logitech K780 also has an expressive design with round keys. They have a smooth and short stroke, typing is pleasant. The upper part of the keyboard is made in the form of a white stand for a smartphone and tablet.

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The keyboard also has disadvantages: there is no backlight, and you can’t recharge the Logitech K780 by wire — you have to change the batteries. It is disappointing that the left Shift key is smaller than the right one, although in games and work it is the left one that is used more often.

On the other hand, Enter is full-sized here, the number block is in place, and you quickly get used to the rounded keys. I liked that the layout is universal — both for Mac and Windows.

How much:
- in «M-video» -9 299 R;
- in Citylink — 7190 R;
- other offers on Yandex Market — from 9 890 R.
A4Tech Fstyler FBK25 also participated in the comparison for this category, but the Logitech keyboard coped with its tasks better. The K780 stand at least makes it possible to install several devices on the keyboard at once — for example, a phone and a tablet. Fstyler FBK25 does not allow this: its niche for gadgets is much shorter.

From £169

Best gaming keyboard — Asus Rog Falchion Cherry MX
Most expensive wireless keyboard in the selection. The model is equipped with Cherry MX Red mechanical switches for high response speed and click accuracy — useful for competitive games.

The keyboard is compact: there is no number pad and Fn-key row. But there is a touch panel that allows you to adjust the volume with a simple touch. And a high-quality case was added to the kit — durable and with a rubber mat inside. The keyboard can be used without even taking it out of the case.

Another feature of the keyboard is the highly customizable backlight. Through the application, you can set up effects with different sequences — it looks impressive. The brightness is also adjustable, which is important when playing in complete darkness. And the backlight can be synchronized with other Asus Rog devices — however, I didn’t find anything suitable at home. There are macros — individual keys can be programmed for various actions in games.

I tested the Rog Falchion Cherry MX in online shooters where responsiveness is important — Star Wars Battlefront 2 and Destiny 2. Playing on this keyboard is very comfortable, despite the absence of a wire: there was no delay, the response to each press was instant.

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But this keyboard is not very convenient for work: its compact size affects. Of course, you can adapt and type large texts without difficulty, but you will have to put up with the noisy operation of the keys.

How much:
- in M-video — 16 990 R;
- other offers on Yandex Market — from 16 990 R.
Logitech G613 also visited the test. Unlike the compact Asus Rog Falchion Cherry MX, it is full-sized, with a sixth row of keys and a numeric keypad. It also costs significantly less than the ASUS model. If you are going to not only play, but also work with texts, the Logitech solution will be more convenient. Keyboard starts at 8900 R on Yandex Market.

But the Logitech G613 has a number of disadvantages. She has no backlight. The model is large and heavy, so it is well fixed on the table, but you cannot take it with you on the road. And finally, the Logitech keyboard was equipped with not the most reliable Romer-G Tactile switches — Cherry MX Red is more durable.

From 1040 R

The most compact — Oklick 840S
In our selection, this model is the only one that you can put in your pocket and take with you. In terms of dimensions, it is slightly larger than a smartphone: the length was approximately 20.5 centimeters, and the weight was less than 160 grams.

The keyboard comes with a cable, but it’s only for charging — you can’t connect it to other devices. Unfortunately, the developers have chosen an outdated micro-USB connector instead of the current Type-C.

Smartphone, tablet or laptop can be connected via Bluetooth. During the test, I connected the keyboard to an Android smartphone, but for some reason the model refused to pair with the TV.

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Due to the miniature dimensions, there is no separate digital block, and the keys are located close to each other, which is inconvenient for touch typing. It takes a couple of hours to get used to, then you can type texts at a good speed. There is no backlight, but the characters are clearly visible even in dim lighting. Typing is virtually silent.

The bottom panel of the Oklick 840S is metallic and feels cool in the palm of your hand when holding the device. But the side edges are sharp: if you carry the gadget with you, it is better to put it in a separate pocket of the backpack so as not to scratch neighboring objects.

Due to its modest dimensions, the Oklick 840S is not a replacement for a full-size keyboard. But it will be an excellent choice for those who often have to move and work with texts on the go. A nice bonus of the keyboard is a stylish and thin metal case, the device looks spectacular.

How much:
- in M-video — 1040 R;
- in Citylink — 1390 R;
- other offers on Yandex Market — from 1 491 R.
Rs. Lenovo Professional Wireless Keyboard is well suited for everyday tasks, typing texts and working with numbers. It is not too expensive, while it is well-assembled and pleases with the quiet operation of the keys when typing. The keyboard is heavy enough for a plastic model, it does not slip on the table.

There is no backlight, but it is rare in this price category. Unfortunately, they also saved on LED indicators. You can sometimes find out about the pressed CapsLock key only by typing the whole sentence in capital letters.

On the other hand, the keyboard received a separate numeric keypad and a large left Shift — this is not always seen even in expensive models. The row of F-keys is divided into three zones. This reduces the risk of accidentally pressing, for example, F5 instead of F4. There is also a slight rise under the hands, so that when typing, the hands get a little less tired. The buttons are slightly concave to make typing even more comfortable.

There are also large fold-out feet so that the keyboard can be tilted. Some find it easier to type.

Lenovo Professional Wireless Keyboard is a good choice for office and remote workstation. There are drawbacks, but they are covered by the overall quality of performance at an adequate price tag. The model has a good rating on Yandex Market, and, according to reviews, it is able to work for a long time without problems — a weighty argument in favor of the purchase.

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in Citylink — 5849 R;

other offers on Yandex Market — from 7 205 R.

Lenovo’s rival in this category was Microsoft QSZ-00011. It has plastic that is pleasant to the touch, quiet keys, a digital block. But there is a significant drawback — the lack of a receiver in the kit that connects the keyboard to the device. Despite the fact that the model is good, for this reason alone we can no longer make it the best in the category. It is sold from 4,607 R on Yandex Market.

From R9999

Best for Apple — Apple Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad
Mac users should check out Magic Keyboard. During testing, I used this model in conjunction with a Macbook and printed quite a lot of text with it.

For the test, I chose the version with a numeric keypad, there is also the usual modification of the «laptop» type keyboard.

The keys have short travel and excellent clarity, while being quiet when typing. I liked that the buttons are located at a distance from each other — there are fewer errors when typing blindly. There is no battery compartment. Previously, the Apple Magic Keyboard was powered by them, but the latest version is powered by a built-in battery.

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Thanks to rubberized feet, the keyboard does not slip on the table, and it is pleasant to touch the aluminum case once again — it is thin, beautiful and slightly cools the hand. Only the bottom of the keyboard is made of polymer.

Unfortunately, the Apple Magic Keyboard has a number of drawbacks. The lack of backlight clearly does not match the price of the model. There is also no battery indicator — the remaining charge can only be found in the Mac or Macbook interface. In addition, the model turned out to be not very convenient to lift and move around the table. These are the «costs» of small thickness.

But the Magic Keyboard is connected via a Lightning cable — the same as on any modern iPhone. If you need to quickly recharge the keyboard or turn it into a wired one, when there are a lot of gadgets on the table or there is interference from the bluetooth, you don’t need to look for a wire — the one that feeds the smartphone will do.

This keyboard is designed for Apple owners. It is made in the same style as other products of the brand and is equipped with a Lightning connector. The quality is high, the work is very quiet. A great gift for those who are building a single brand ecosystem. It is a pity that with an immodest price, there are still comments.

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in Citylink, with Touch ID — 19,999 ;

other offers on Yandex Market, without Touch ID — from Rs. Keyboard — the trackpad bar to the right of the keys. It is pleasant to use, the response of the panel is fast — useful for owners of smart TVs.

The body plastic is rough, prints on it are almost invisible. However, at first glance and by touch it is clear that you are dealing with an inexpensive model.

Controlling your TV with a trackpad keyboard is much more convenient than with a traditional remote. Microsoft All-in-One Media Keyboard allows you to enter the name of the desired video on YouTube in a couple of seconds and quickly select the desired application from the list. The keyboard weighs a little, it can be placed on your lap while sitting in front of the TV in the living room.

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The keyboard is also suitable for working with a computer, but with limitations: the trackpad panel is small, and there was simply no place for a separate number pad. The ideal scenario for using the Microsoft All-in-One Media Keyboard, in my opinion, is related to TV. For him, this keyboard will be a great addition.

How much:

in Citylink — 3329 R;

other offers on Yandex Market — from 3,541 rubles.

Microsoft and Prestigio devices opposed each other in this nomination. At first glance, Prestigio Click&Touch 2 looks more interesting. It is smaller, but the keys are larger, and the entire surface of the keyboard can be used as a touchpad. It is sold from 7990 R on the Yandex Market.

But the seemingly interesting technology did not work perfectly: when scrolling and switching between applications, the Prestigio keyboard sometimes freezes or moves the cursor to the side. I did not notice such a problem with my opponent, so I gave the victory to Microsoft.

Our recommendations

Prices are valid for the Moscow region at the time of publication, but we update them periodically.

The best of the best

Logitech MX Keys

Good ergonomics, nice lighting, convenient proximity sensor and switching between several gadgets — everything is on the level here

V «M-video» — 15 999 R;
in Citylink — 16,799 R;
on Yandex Market — from 12,097 R

If there are many devices at once

Logitech K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard

Comfortable stand, quiet typing, quality materials, and easy switching between multiple gadgets

M-Video — R9299;
in Citylink — 7190 R;
on Yandex Market — from 9 890 R

The best keyboard for games

Asus Rog Falchion Cherry MX

Compact but very advanced keyboard with Cherry MX Red, charging via Type-C and customizable backlighting

V » M-video» — 16 990 R;
on Yandex Market — from 16,990 R

The most compact

Oklick 840S

The most portable of the tested models.